2021 Wooden Spoon

2021 Wooden Spoon

  • Adelaide Crows

    Votes: 128 11.3%
  • Brisbane Lions

    Votes: 2 0.2%
  • Carlton Blues

    Votes: 21 1.9%
  • Collingwood Magpies

    Votes: 29 2.6%
  • Essendon Bombers

    Votes: 140 12.4%
  • Fremantle Dockers

    Votes: 7 0.6%
  • Geelong Cats

    Votes: 11 1.0%
  • Gold Coast Suns

    Votes: 12 1.1%
  • GWS Giants

    Votes: 8 0.7%
  • Hawthorn Hawks

    Votes: 119 10.5%
  • Melbourne Demons

    Votes: 8 0.7%
  • North Melbourne Kangaroos

    Votes: 586 51.7%
  • Port Adelaide Power

    Votes: 3 0.3%
  • Richmond Tigers

    Votes: 20 1.8%
  • St Kilda Saints

    Votes: 5 0.4%
  • Sydney Swans

    Votes: 17 1.5%
  • West Coast Eagles

    Votes: 15 1.3%
  • Western Bulldogs

    Votes: 2 0.2%

  • Total voters
    1,133

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Roos would have to be paying $1.01 now wouldn't they?
I get that they've embraced a full rebuild, but who would have thought that losing Brown and Wood would make it difficult to post a winning score?
 

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Roos would have to be paying $1.01 now wouldn't they?
I get that they've embraced a full rebuild, but who would have thought that losing Brown and Wood would make it difficult to post a winning score?

They are favourites for good reason, but I don't think losing Mason Wood is a factor in that.
 
Aside from the popular three (Hawthorn, North, Adelaide) plenty of teams are "in range" with an injury crisis. Melbourne, Essendon, GWS, Collingwood, Gold Coast or even Carlton could all have an off-the-cliff season with the wrong number of injuries.

I still think too many are assuming Gold Coast are magically moving up the table based on not much. Stewart Dew has a W/L record in Mark Neeld territory miles behind early Clarko and early Hardwick. He's from the Roos school which is being actively legislated out of the game by rule makers. Aside from beating his former club there's not much evidence of his game style or tactics or really anything. He looks like a poor man's Simon Goodwin at the moment (or rich man's Goodwin if you think Gold Coast has a better list than Melbourne? I don't think it's close).
 

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Maybe, but being flogged in practice match means nothing. Sydney used to get beaten all preseason when they were a top 4 team.
The alarming thing is that's they were flogged by a team who were missing as many as 7 of their best 22, including a few of their very best, and on North's home training ground of all places.

The result suggests that North are still the very poor team they were in the 2nd half of last year, at least if they're not full strength, or close to it.

Yesterday suggests that their depth is paper-thin.
 
Aside from the popular three (Hawthorn, North, Adelaide) plenty of teams are "in range" with an injury crisis. Melbourne, Essendon, GWS, Collingwood, Gold Coast or even Carlton could all have an off-the-cliff season with the wrong number of injuries.

I still think too many are assuming Gold Coast are magically moving up the table based on not much. Stewart Dew has a W/L record in Mark Neeld territory miles behind early Clarko and early Hardwick. He's from the Roos school which is being actively legislated out of the game by rule makers. Aside from beating his former club there's not much evidence of his game style or tactics or really anything. He looks like a poor man's Simon Goodwin at the moment (or rich man's Goodwin if you think Gold Coast has a better list than Melbourne? I don't think it's close).
Just a bit on SUNS as a SUNS supporter. A bit unfair on Dew as he basically had to re-built the team. 10+ players replace/gone every year. Most coaches, admin staff replaced. 2021 is the first year fans should finally start seeing significant improvement.

SUNS did improve in 2020. A lot of people predicted that SUNS will not win a game. From wooden spoon they moved to 14th place. From 17 games SUNS managed 5 wins, 1 draw, 2 close losses, 90% percentage. All while SUNS played easily the youngest best 22 in the competition.

In 17 rounds SUNS fielded the youngest team 11x, 2x equal the youngest. 7x SUNS fielded the team younger than 24 years (2x 23 years 2 months). Swans were the only other team fielding a line-up below 24 and only 1x.

Interestingly, SUNS fielded teams below 24 age in round 1 and then all rounds after 10 except one. It just confirm that SUNS strategy in 2020 was putting games into young core despite having some mature bodies available.

In 2021 SUNS best 22 becomes 6 months older despite old players Thompson, Harbrow, Hanley gone/missing. Looking at current age profile, best 22 and depth, SUNS will most probably not field a team below 24 years in 2021.

As regarding game style, there was a significant shit in 2020. SUNS played much more offensive style and took game on more often and actually if you watch some games the style was pretty exciting though not maintained long enough. SUNS need to improve desperately DE and limit turnovers. Extra pre-season into young bodies will also help.

SUNS are loaded with talent and the significant young core is approaching 50-60 games and is complemented by mature players. SUNS should continue upwards trajectory. How steep is the question. Will it happen this year? Or next year as most people predict? One thing I predict for 2021, you will enjoy SUNS game style.
 
The alarming thing is that's they were flogged by a team who were missing as many as 7 of their best 22, including a few of their very best, and on North's home training ground of all places.

The result suggests that North are still the very poor team they were in the 2nd half of last year, at least if they're not full strength, or close to it.

Yesterday suggests that their depth is paper-thin.
Calm down. Our reserves will field a stronger midfield than we did yesterday.
 
Just a bit on SUNS as a SUNS supporter. A bit unfair on Dew as he basically had to re-built the team. 10+ players replace/gone every year. Most coaches, admin staff replaced. 2021 is the first year fans should finally start seeing significant improvement.

SUNS did improve in 2020. A lot of people predicted that SUNS will not win a game. From wooden spoon they moved to 14th place. From 17 games SUNS managed 5 wins, 1 draw, 2 close losses, 90% percentage. All while SUNS played easily the youngest best 22 in the competition.

In 17 rounds SUNS fielded the youngest team 11x, 2x equal the youngest. 7x SUNS fielded the team younger than 24 years (2x 23 years 2 months). Swans were the only other team fielding a line-up below 24 and only 1x.

Interestingly, SUNS fielded teams below 24 age in round 1 and then all rounds after 10 except one. It just confirm that SUNS strategy in 2020 was putting games into young core despite having some mature bodies available.

In 2021 SUNS best 22 becomes 6 months older despite old players Thompson, Harbrow, Hanley gone/missing. Looking at current age profile, best 22 and depth, SUNS will most probably not field a team below 24 years in 2021.

As regarding game style, there was a significant sh*t in 2020. SUNS played much more offensive style and took game on more often and actually if you watch some games the style was pretty exciting though not maintained long enough. SUNS need to improve desperately DE and limit turnovers. Extra pre-season into young bodies will also help.

SUNS are loaded with talent and the significant young core is approaching 50-60 games and is complemented by mature players. SUNS should continue upwards trajectory. How steep is the question. Will it happen this year? Or next year as most people predict? One thing I predict for 2021, you will enjoy SUNS game style.

What is SUNS an acronym for?
 
A lot of North's fate rests on Goldy's form.

If he gets injured or has a form slump it would make it hard for them to win many games.

Their forward line structure will be interesting too. Will they be able to kick enough goals to win many games?
 
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